Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts

Assaults on border posts
Part of the Singing Revolution and January Events (Lithuania)
Date December 1990 – August 1991 Location Lithuania Result Lithuanian statehood preserved
Belligerents
Lithuania State Border Guard Service	Soviet Union OMON
Casualties and losses
8 killed 60 injured	1 killed

 Lithuania

 Soviet Union

Several Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts occurred in 1991, after Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 11 March 1990. As a Soviet republic, the Lithuanian SSR did not have a state border with customs or checkpoints. The newly declared Republic of Lithuania began establishing the State Border Guard Service, before it was internationally recognized on 27 August 1991 by the states of the EEC. These posts also became a symbol of its strive for independence. The Soviet government viewed the customs posts as illegal and sent the OMON (Special Purpose Police Unit) troops against the posts, especially those along the eastern border with Belarus. The unarmed custom officers and policemen were harassed, beaten or killed, their cars were stolen or bombed, the posts were burned down or wrecked, and work of the checkpoints was otherwise disrupted. Two of the incidents resulted in the deaths of eight Lithuanian citizens. In total, about 60 officers were attacked and injured, and 23 border posts were burned or destroyed.

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